3D Seismic Interpretation and Evaluation of Mechanism(s) that Cause Along-strike Change in Vergence of Thrust Faults in the Green River Basin of Southwestern Wyoming, Birch Creek Seismic Survey
Scott Greenhalgh, John H. McBride, and R. William Keach II
1652 North 270 West, Pleasant Grove, UT
The Birch Creek 3D seismic survey is located in southwestern Wyoming and lies just east of the western Cordilleran overthrust belt. This data set will provide insight to the interaction between Sevier and Laramide style deformation. The study area is part of what is known as the Idaho-Wyoming-Utah Salient, which has been studied extensively for the timing of thrust events. The Birch Creek survey shows multiple thrust events that appear to switch in their direction of vergence along strike. This abrupt change in vergence has not been well documented and the cause is not fully understood. Our study focuses on the mechanism(s) involved in the changing direction of vergence of thrust faulting. The objective is to accurately interpret thrust faults and evaluate the faulting mechanism(s) within the study area. As seen in the seismic data, these faults appear to be blind. Field work will be conducted to verify whether these faults project to the surface or not. Landmark Software and Services has provided state-of-the-art interpretation programs that we will use to visualize and evaluate these thrust events. This software will provide an elegant approach as we pursue and test various hypotheses.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90169©2013 AAPG Rocky Mountain Section 62nd Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, September 22-24, 2013